Winding mechanism for watches



Nov.- 13, 1923.

y F. G. GRUEN WIND-ING MECHANISM FQR WATCHES Filed Feb. 21. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 13 1923.

1,473,763 F. G, GRUEN WINDING HECHANISM FOR WATCHES Filed Feb. 21. 119:22A 2 sheets-shut 2 Fransman G. GnusN.

Patented Nov. 13, 1923.

A 1,473,763 4,Piu-latir OFFICE.

FREDERICK G. GRUEN, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE GRUEN WATCH COMPANY, F CINCINNATI, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

WINDING MECHANISM Foa WATCHES.

Application filed February :21, 1922. Serial No.A 538,313.

` To all whom it mag/conocia:

Be it known thatI, FREDERICK G. GRUEN,

a citizen of the United States of America,

and a resident of Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton `and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in finding Mechanisms Yfor Watches, of which the-following is a specification.

My invention relates to winding mechanisms for watches and similar mechanisms.

An object of my invention is to provide a device that will be particularly adapted "to withstand repeated windings to which such mechanisms are subjected, without seriously aii'ecting the same, regardless of. the small size of the parts employed therein.

Another object of my invention is to relieve the pivot supporting the yoke of a watch from the strain incident to the retention of `the yoke in position.A

Another object of my invention' is to provide a simple device for the purpose stated.

`These and other objects are obtained by means described herein and disclosed in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a tragmental plan view of a watch showing mechanisms involved in my invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view on line 2*@ of Fig. i.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing the parts in the setting position.

The stem 3 of the watch is mounted upon the plate 4 in any manner common to the art, whereby the stem 3 may be reciprocated longitudinally oit itself. Vitliin the plate 4, the stem 3 has revolubly mounted upon it a combined spur and side gear 5, and has a spool 6 splined upon it, the spool 6 having formed at its opposite sides the side gears 7 and 8. The stem 3 has formed in it a groove 9 within which a pin 10 carried by a yoke 11 extends. The yoke 11 is mounted upon the pivot 12, and carries a cam 13 adapted to engage a fork 14 pivotally mounted at 15 upon the plate, the bifurcated end 16 oi' which engages the spool 6 intermediate the gears 7 and 8. The gear 7 is adapted to engage the side gear on the gear 5, and the gear 8 is adapted to enga-ge a gear 17 of a train of gears, through which a shatt 18 carrying the hands of the watch, may be actuated. The plate 4 of the watch has a pocket 19 formed with it, the pocket communicating with a slot 20 extending through the plate and in which slot 2O is mounteda screw 21, the one end of which has a transverse slot to facilitate rotation thereof, and the other end of which is threaded and engagesv in a threaded bore 22 Vextendingthrough the yoke 11. A collar 23 is mounted upon the screw 21 and is contained within the pocket 1 9, the shoulder 24 of the collar and the wall of the pocket 19 serving to limit the movement of the screw 21 toward the yoke. The screw has shoulder 25 formed on it at the upper end of the threaded portion thereof, the shoulder 25 being adapted to engage the yoke 11. The shoulders 24 and 25 are separated at 'such distance that the yoke will be securely mounted upon the screw 21, yet permitting the screw and yoke to have substantiall free movement in relation to the plate. block 26 is pivotally mounted at 27 on the plate and has a notched seat 28 `into which a lug 29, formed on the yoke,

may extend. A spring block 30 is pivotally mounted uponthe plate and carries a spring arm 31 which engages theblock 26 'and yieldingly resists movement of the block 26 and the yoke 11. A second spring arm 32 extending from the spring block 30 yieldingly engages the `fork 14. Normally the spring. arms retain the several parts in such relation that the gear 8 will be out of engagement with the gear 17 as shown in Fig. 1. The spur gear is adapted to engage a train of gears adapted to wind the spring of the mechanism as, is common in the art and for that reason is not described herein. When the stem 3 is reciprocated longitudinally, the spur gear is disengaged from the spool 6. The fork 14 hasa seat 33 formed upon it, which seat the catch 13 on the yoke is adapted to engage. n

The parts bear such relation when in the position shown in Fig. 1, that normal rotatory motion imparted to stem 3, will be transmitted through the spool and the spur gear to the nia-in spring. When it is 4desired to set the hands of the watch, the stem 3 is moved upwardly or outwardly of t-he plate, thereby moving the yoke about the pin 12 and moving the lug 29 on the yoke over the lower wall of the notch in block 26. The movement of the yoke 11 brings the cam 13 into engagement with the fork 14 and moves the fork about its pivotal mounting 15 against. the yielding resistance of the spring 32. The movement of the fork, under the influence of the yoke is continued until the cam is lodged upon seat 33. By this time the gear 8 has been moved into engagement with the gear` 17. The yielding resistance of the springs 31 and 32 upon block 26 and fork 1st serves to retain the parts in the position shown in Fig. 3. Pressure tending to move the stem inward from the position causes disengagement of the catch from its seat and-the parts are returned to their normal positions. The yoke moves about its pivotal mounting-While the pin 21 precludes loosening of the yoke, Wherefore the pivotal mounting is relieved l, from the added function ot retaining the yoke in its proper operative relationship to the balance of the mechanism.

lVliat I claim is:

1. In a device ot the class described the combination of a reciprocating stem, a yoke pivotally inounted'adjacent the stem adapted to be moved about its pivotal mounting by the reciprocation ot the stem, and means ixedly carried by the yoke for precluding movement of the yoke longitudinally ot the axis ot' its pivotal mounting.

In a device of the class described the combination ot a slotted plate having a pocket communicating with the slot, a yoke pivotally mounted on the plate, a scren xedly mounted on the yoke carrying collar disposed Within the pocket for precluding relative lateral movement of the plate and the yoke and for prec-luding Inovement of the yoke longitudinally of the axis of its pivotal mounting.

3. In al 4device ot the class described the combination with independent gear trains, ot' means to selectively actuate the gear trains comprising a yoke, a pivot for the yoke and meansfixedly carried by the yoke for precluding movement of the yoke longitudinally of the pivot.

4L. In a device ot the class described the combination with apair ot plates carrying independent gear trains and a reciprocally mounted stem carrying reciprocating means for selectively actuating the gear trains, the plates having registering bores of substantially equal diameters and one of the plates having formed in it a pocket communicating with the bores and of a diameter in excess of the diameter ot the bores, the

second plate forming in part a Wall for such .c

pocket, of a pivot carried by the second plate, a yoke mounted for oscillation on the pivot having a pivotal mounting on the stem and controlling movement of the reciprocating means carried by the stem, and a stud fixedly carried by the yoke extending into the bores in the plates and carrying a collar located in the pocket and of a diameter in excess of the bores for engagement on the pocket Walls and for precluding separation ot' the yoke and the second plate.

ln testimony whereof I have hereunto sub scribed my name this 13 day of February,

1922. FREDERICK G. GRUEN. 

